Journeying through Time, Music, and Plants

By Ojas Joshi

An aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans proliferates the air as I sit down in conversation with three of my icons. On my right reclines renowned author and historian Yuval Noah Harrari, most famous for his concise and thought-provoking work Sapiens. On my left, journalist and historian Michael Pollan sips an Americano. Directly across from me, the lead singer of Young the Giant, Sameer Gadhia, lays back in his chair, pondering the intersection of Eastern and Western music as he stares into the depths of his dirty chai. Our conversation starts slow but picks up speed as we move through our drinks. We discuss the idea of storytelling in music, the necessity of plants in modern society, and many other subject and issue intersections. Our conversation ends naturally, and I leave with more questions than answers.